Sweep rake stacker and loader



`lune 22, 1943.

J. A. roFTEY 2,322,487

SWEEP BAKE STACKER AND LOADER Filed July 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l MELE J" INVENTOR.

JUSEPH Fl fnf-TEL,J

June 22, 1943. J. A. ToF-rEY SWEEP RAK-E STACKER AND LOADER Filed July 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FI T: F Tia# W A ORNEY.

. IUSEPH Patented June 22, 1943 `muren STATES *PATENT GFF'ICE.

2,322,487 SWEEP BAKE s'rAoKER ANDy LOADER Joseph A. Toftey, Kanawha, Iowa Aappli-canon July ua, 1940, ,serial No. 344,401 '3 Claims. (01.21'4--1315 The principal object of this invention is to pro- Ivide a sweep rake stacker and loader which .may be used as a stationary type of stacker or one which maybe mounted on a tractor to form a mobile loader.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sweep rake stacker and loader wherein the gathering and stacking sweep arms are rigidly guded or placed during the entire sweep of the ra e.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a loading and stacking mechanism which is completely counterbalanced and automatic lin its return to operating position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sweep rake stacker and loader that is extremely economical Vin manufacture, durable and eicient in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of `the variousparts Yof 'the device, whereby the objects .contemplated are `attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated 'in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view "of Vmy-complete vsweep rakelstacker and loader mechanism mounted on a-tracto'r lready for use. i

iFi'g. 2 is a top planview of the stacker unit. Fig. 3 is a side `elevational 'View of theistacker unit as it is usedfor a stationary stacker.

Fig. 4 is va front cross sectional view of the.

stacker unit taken n the approximate line l'4---4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational View of the sweep vrake stacker and-loader mechanism.

Fig. 6 is -an .enlarged view of a portion of `the sill or beam of the device, showing the placement of the pivot points and 4bearing journals, and is taken on the line 6`6 of'Fig. 4.

VThere havebe'en stacking devices on the mar- Aket. These stacking devices were generally made so` that they had to be mounted upon la tractor or the like, or were of 4such bulk and complication as to make'their-use limited in scope. Furthermore, with a sweep rake stacker, it has been `iound that all 4of these prior devices were ex tremly weak 'in structure, due to the fact that no bearing surface was provided for 'the' pivoted arms. Also these stackers were extremely hard to mount on a tractor and dismount therefrom. Furthermore, these stackers `were vnotoriously jerky 'and 'irregular in their function. I have overcome such disadvantages as will be appre- .now describe. I have used the numerals I-2 and I3 to Adesignate the frame `of my .sweep rake stacker and loader, which consists of :two parallel beams :spaced -apart. The numerals I4 and 'I5 indicate two upright members secured to the for- `ward ends of the beams I2 and I3 respectively, and having their outer faces on ithe same vertical plane as the outer faces of the beams or sills I2 and I3 respectively. The numerals I6 and I1 vindicate two verticalbeams having their lower ends secured adjacent the rearward end of the sills I2 and I3 respectively. The numeral I8 designates a frame member extending between the Vertical member I4 andthe vertical member I6 as shown in the drawings. The numeral I9 indicates a frame member extending between the vertical elements I5 and I1. These two frame or brace elements I8 and I9 have their outer faces on the same plane as the outer faces ofthe beams I2 and I4 and I3 and I5 respectively. Two parallel guide tracks are disposed on .either side of the frame member so formed. The numerals 20 and `-2I 'indicate braces which may be imposed between the upper ends of the vertical members I4 and I5, and the brace members or arms I8 and I9 vrespectively, as shown in the drawings,

vI have used the numerals 22 and 23 to designate two arms having their rearward ends pivota'lly :secured to the frame members I2 'and I3 respectively and extending forwardly. The numeral-24 indicates a toothed hay buck or gatherer `secured 'to the forward ends of the arms 22 and y2`3. I `have used the `numeral 25 to designate a nrollerelement rotatablysuspended between the upperends ofthe vvertical members I4 and I5 as shown ZinFig. 2 of the drawings. The numeral '26 'designates a :cross lbeamfsecured between the upper fends of the Vertical members I6 and I1. To`this=fbeam`26 I secure one end of a rope, cable 'or likev 21, which'passesover the roller 25,through a ypulley 28, `which is in turn secured to the buck or gatherer 24, .and thence `back over the 'roller 25 through a pulley 29 secured to the beam26. The other end of the rope 2'I is secured toa windlass drum 3 as shown in Fig, 2. The nu- -meral 3I indicates a shaft rotatably mounted between the frame members or beams I2 and I3 and to which 'the drum 43I) is secured. The nu# meral `32 indicates a slip clutch `placed in the shaft 3| and this clutch is of the ordinary friction type permitting the shaft to rotate after a certain amount of resistance is encountered, The numeral 33 indicates a sprocket gear secured to the shaft 3| on the opposite side of the clutch 32 from the drum or windlass 33. gear in turn is operatively secured to the power take-olf II of the tractor I through the medium of a chain 34. I have used the numeral 35 to indicatel a friction brake mechanism of the ordinary type, which employs a friction belt contacting a drum on the shaft 3| and operated by a manually controlled lever member 36. The numerals 31 and 38 indicate two balance arms pivoted to the members I8 and I9 respectively at a point below the center of the arms 31 and 38.-

The numerals 39 and 40 indicate chains having This sprocket one of their ends secured to the beams' 311 and 38 respectively, and their other ends secured to the toothed rake member 24, as shown in the drawings. Secured to the other ends of the arms 31 and 38 are the compression springs 4| and 42. These springs 4I and 42 Aextend upwardly and backwardly and have `their other ends secured to a chain, which in turn is adjustably secured through the medium of the hook members 43, to the upright members I6 and I1 respectively as shown in the drawings. I have used the numerals 44 and 45 to indicate two bumper elements secured adjacent the upper ends of the uprights I6 and I'I and which are contacted by the arms 22 and 23 when the rake 24 is in its uppermost position.

The practical operation of my device is as follows:

The device is attached to a tractor as shown in Fig. l or placed upon the ground as shown in Fig. 3. When placing the device on the ground as a stationary stacker, it may be desirable to use the short foot or support members I2' and I3' for elevating the device as shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. of the drawings. The tractor is then moved forward and the grain or other substance desired to be loaded or stacked is picked up on'the rake member 24. The power take-off II is then manipulated so. that it is in gear with the tractor, causing the rope 2l to wind on the drum 33, raising the arms 22 and 23 tothe position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, at which time the material collected on the rake 24 will vbe deposited in a wagon, stack-or the like. Due to the. length of the chains 39 and 43, the arms 22 and 23 will be pulled against the tension of the springs 4| and 42 after the arms 22 and 23 have passed the ver,- tical so that when the power take-off is reversed or disconnected, the springs 4i and 42 acting on the arms 3l and 38 will, through the medium of the chains 33 and 43, pull the rack 24back beyond the Vertical line after which the weight of rake will cause it to Yfall to its normal operating position. During this operation, ,the inside surface of the arm 22Y will be in contact all times with at least one of the frame members |42, |4 or I8, and likewise the arm 23 will have its inside surface in contact with at least one of the frame members I3, I5 or I9, thus preventing the ymis;- alignment of the rake 24', and providing a positive guide for the moveable arms 22 and 23 at all points of their rotation. As the rake member 24 reaches its uppermost position, the arms 22 and 23 strike the bumper members 44 and 45 respectively, and if the `operator does not shut off the power take-01T, the friction clutch 32 merely slips until such time as it is reversedandbrought back to its carrying position.` The brakel memberV 35 may be used to stop the action of the arms and may be used to hold the rake 24 in a slightly elevated position while the tractor is carrying the material loaded on the buck or rake 24 to the point of deposit. The same action occurs when the device is used as a stationary stacker. The straw, hay or other material is placed on the rake 24 and the wheel 33 may be operatively secured to a suitable source of power, or the robe 2l may be manually pulled or pulled by horses or the like to raise the stacking unit to its unloading position. The stacker may be secured to the tractor in any suitable manner when used as a mobile unit and due to the large open space free ofobstructions, it is very easy to attach the clevice to a tractor.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a sweep rake stacker and loader wherein the arms supporting the toothed rake member have a positive guide during the entire pivoting movement, thus providing direct alignmentfor l,the toothed rake 24 at all times and preventing it from wobbling or vibrating out `of alignment. The spring members 4I and 42 may be adjusted at the vwill of the operator, by merely linking the proper link of the chains onto the hooks 43. My stacker may beA used either stationary or secured to a tractor, and is iiexible and versatile in its operation. y The parts comprising the vertical `member I4 and the arm I8 will hereinafter be referred'to as a guide track and the elements comprising the vertical'member I5 and the member I9 willalso be referred to as a guide track. The beams |2 and I3 will be referred to as a frame, and the .parts comprising thearms 3'! and 38, the chains 39 and 43, and the springs 4| and 42 will bereferred to as a return mechanism.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved sweep rake stacker and loader without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my invention to cover by my-claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim: 1. In a device of the class described, a frame member designed to be mounted on a tractor, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and 010er,- atively connected to thepower take-off ofthe tractor, a drum member on said shaft, a vertical guide track on said frame, a sweep rake assembly comprising a toothed rake and arms, a means for pivotally securing said arms to said frame so that said arms will rest adjacent said guide track, pulleys mounted on said vertical guide member, a rope wound upon said drum extending over said pulleys and secured to said sweep rake whereby the rotation of said shaft will elevate said sweep rake, a pivoted arm member secured to said vertical guide track, a spring element imposed between one en d of said arm and said frame, and a chain member secured between the other end of said pivoted` arm and said toothed rake for returning said toothed rake to a lowered position after said toothed rake has reached its discharge position.

2. In a device of the class described, a Yframe member designed to be mounted ona tractor, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and operatively connected to the power take-off of the tractor, a drum member on said shaft, a vertical guide track on said frame, a sweep rake assem. bly, arms extending from said sweep rake assembly, ameans. 'for pivotally securing said arms' to said frame so that said arms rest adjacent and contact said guide track during the pivotal movement of said arms, a rope having one end secured to and operated by said drum member and having its other end operatively connected to said sweep rake assembly; said assembly being such that the rotation of sai-d shaft will elevate said sweep rake, a pivoted arm member secured to said vertical guide track, a yielding element imposed between one end of said arm and said frame, and a means secured between the other end of said pivoted arm and said sweep rake assembly for returning said sweep rase to a lowered position after said sweep rake has reached itsdischarge position.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame member designed to be mounted on a tractor, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and operatively connected to the power take-off of the tractor, a drum member on said shaft, a Vertical guide track on said frame, a sweep rake assembly, arms extending from said sweep rake assembly, a means for pivotally securing said arms to said frame so that said arms rest adjacent and contact said guide track during the pivotal movement of said arms, a rope having one end secured to and operated by said drum member and having its other end operatively connected to said sweep rake assembly; said assembly being such that the rotation of said shaft will elevate said sweep rake, a pivoted arm member secured to said vertical guide track, and a means secured between the other end of said pivoted arm and said sweep rake for returning said sweep rake to a lowered position after said sweep rake has reached its discharge position.

JOSEPH A. TOFTEY. 

